All marathons

Early May · West Coast · Point-to-Point

Tacoma City Marathon / Half / Ghost / 10K / 5K / 1K

Tacoma, WA · Saturday, May 1, 2027

Event: Sunday - Marathon (Main Event)

Registration opens on the organizer's site

Typical start

42°

Cooler than 82% of U.S. marathons

Modeled historical conditions

Elevation gain

1,200ft

Flatter than 5% of races

Estimated total climb

Field size

800

Larger than 31% of races

Estimated field

PR potential

5.1/10

Ahead of 13% of races

Almanac model

Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.

Course profile

1,200 ft gain · 0 ft net

Hilly course, point-to-point.

0510152026.2
Schematic profile drawn from total gain, total loss and course category, on a shared vertical scale of 1,600 ft. Not a surveyed GPS trace.

Race-day weather

Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.

6 AM

34°

Start

42°

Midday

49°

ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk

Typical start sits at 42°F, excellent marathon conditions.

Typical dew point 30°F, 16% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.

The bottom line

This one is about the day, not the clock.

Tacoma City Marathon / Half / Ghost / 10K / 5K / 1K is a strong choice for runners who like a course with real character, and the climbing is the point here. The tradeoff is atmosphere: expect long quiet stretches and few spectators.

Why runners choose this race

A point-to-point course around Tacoma, WA, with real climbing that will cost you time if you race it hard early.

The case for it

  • Runners who want a low-key start

The tradeoffs

  • You want crowds and on-course energy
  • You are chasing a flat-course PR

Course and logistics

Course type
Point-to-Point
Surface
Road
Profile
Hilly
Total gain
1,200 ft(estimated)
Total loss
1,200 ft(estimated)
Net elevation
0 ft(estimated)
Field size
~800 runners(estimated)
Crowd support
Quiet, low-key
Entry
Easy
Entry fee
$85(most recent listed price)
Day of week
Saturday
Start / finish
Start and finish in different locations

Race details

Typical timing
Early May
Next confirmed date
Saturday, May 1, 2027
Registration
Open now
Region
West Coast
Editorial tier
Recommended
Data last reviewed
2026-08-26
  • Point-to-point
  • Hilly course
  • Easy entry

Similar races

Races with a comparable profile.

Late April · West Coast

Big Sur International Marathon

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Weather
54°Ftypical startModelled estimate
Field size
~4,500 runners
Course
Hilly
Elevation
1,700 ft gain

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Mid-March · West Coast

Catalina Island Marathon, 10K, 5K

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Weather
56°Ftypical startModelled estimate
Field size
~~410-437 (2024-2026 finishers) runners
Course
Hilly
Elevation
4,310 ft gain · 0 ft net

Event: Catalina Island Marathon | Verified 8/26/26: 4,310 ft gain confirmed (template was correct here). Field size corrected DOWN from template guess of 800 to real ~410-437 finishers. Not a BQ course.

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Mid-October · West Coast

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Weather
39°Ftypical startModelled estimate
Field size
~600 runners
Course
Hilly
Elevation
1,200 ft gain

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